congregational

(initial capital letter)pertaining or adhering to a form of Protestant church government in which each local church acts as an independent, self-governing body, while maintaining fellowship with like congregations.

1630s, in reference to Congregationalism, a Protestant movement in which church congregations were to be self-governing (the term most used in New England, in Britain they were called Independent); from congregation + -al (1). Related: Congregationalist.